This piece digs into Bubba Chandler’s tough outing in the Pirates’ 6-1 loss to the Texas Rangers. We’ll look at what went wrong with his mechanics and command, and try to place it in the bigger picture of Pittsburgh’s season.
There were some offensive highlights, too. Plus, Jacob deGrom’s continued dominance against the Pirates loomed large, and now the club faces a tricky road ahead if they want to stay in the hunt.
Performance snapshot: Chandler’s night in Arlington
Chandler lasted just four innings. He gave up six earned runs as the Rangers jumped on his mistakes and found timely hits.
The changeup—already a worry this season—really let him down. Four runs came off that pitch, and he just couldn’t spot it where he needed in big moments.
His line for the night pushed his ERA to 4.88. That number feels a bit harsh, honestly, given the raw stuff and upside the Pirates still believe he has.
Control just wasn’t there. Chandler has walked 16 batters this year, which puts him near the top of MLB in that not-so-great category.
He keeps running into trouble with command, especially late in counts. If he wants to get the most out of his velocity and secondary pitches, that’ll have to change.
Changeup struggles and command breakdown
Manager Don Kelly didn’t hide his respect for Chandler’s talent and work ethic. Still, he stressed the need for Chandler to slow things down and execute pitch-to-pitch—especially with that changeup.
There was one pitch in particular, a mislocated changeup to Corey Seager, that turned into a three-run homer. It’s a rough reminder: even if you throw hard, you’ve got to hit your spots or big-league hitters will make you pay.
Chandler called the outing a learning experience. He’s already breaking down video and getting ready for his next start, which looks like it’ll be against St. Louis.
The Pirates are hoping he can turn all that talent into more consistent sequences and, please, fewer walks. With more division matchups coming, they’ll need it.
Offense meets the moment and the Rangers’ edge
The Pirates got an early jolt from Oneil Cruz, who crushed his eighth homer of the year. He took a Jacob deGrom fastball deep to center, which felt like a real highlight in an otherwise lopsided game.
Later, Konnor Griffin nearly sparked a late rally. With the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth, Josh Jung made a diving stop to kill the threat.
Those tiny moments—almost-rallies that die on a great play—really show how thin the line is between a big inning and another reset for Pittsburgh.
DeGrom’s continued mastery over Pittsburgh
Jacob deGrom just keeps owning the Pirates. He allowed only one earned run in 5 2/3 innings and struck out 10.
He racked up 20 whiffs, showing off both his stuff and his command. DeGrom’s career ERA against Pittsburgh is a stingy 2.38 over 10 starts, and that’s just a brutal storyline for the Pirates as they try to solve elite pitching around the league.
Outlook for the Pirates: patience with potential, urgency in execution
Chandler’s got raw tools, and honestly, patience makes sense with a young arm like his. But the Pirates can’t just sit back and let him figure it out forever, not if they want real shots at the division or a wildcard spot.
He needs to cut down the walks, sharpen his pitch sequencing, and trust his changeup more. That’s just the reality if he’s going to anchor this rotation as the season moves on.
Pittsburgh’s next start is against St. Louis. The staff isn’t just looking at the box score—they want to see if Chandler’s actually commanding the strike zone, adding depth to his off-speed stuff, and turning his velocity into consistent outs.
The hope? Chandler blossoms into a game-changer, and the rest of the rotation keeps things moving with cleaner, faster outings. That’s the path to more wins, plain and simple.
- Chandler’s potential is still sky-high, but he needs to polish up for the second half of 2024.
- Walk rate and changeup reliability—those are the two things Pittsburgh has to fix to steady the rotation.
- Jacob deGrom’s recent dominance against the Pirates? That’s a reminder of what elite pitching can do to this lineup.
Here is the source article for this story: Pirates need Bubba Chandler to heed lessons, take next steps
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